FEBKUARY 14TH, 1946 FLIGHT o
Naval Two-seater for Combined Dive-bombing, Torpedo-carrying and
Reconnaissance Duties : Bristol Centaurus C.E.58 Engine
IT is appropriate, on introducing the Fairey Spear-fish, to point out that this multi-purpose two-seater,now well advanced in its flight testing and develop-
ment stages, is the largest air-
craft so far produced for the
Royal Navy. The story of the
Spearfish, which has much in
common with that of other
Naval types, plainly brings out
the reasons for building small
numbers of an aircraft which is
most promising in its class and
embodies several very novel
features.
SPAN 60ft. 3in.
LENGTH 44ft. 7in.
Multiple Duties
For the obvious reasons that
multiplicity of aircraft types
and spares must be avoided for
carrier-borne squadrons, be-
cause a good deal of extra
Jh equipment and complication is
"demanded for Naval operation,
^nd finally because much of the
equipment, particularly the
radio, is duplicated as a pro-
vision against failure, the per-
formance of versatile Naval
aircraft, type for type, cannot
normally compare with that of
their single-purpose land-based
counterparts.
The Spearfish follows very closely the specification
0.5/43, and the basic design was settled in the summer
of 1943. Several interesting and advanced designs
were submitted by the Fairey company to meet the
original specification; these included a conventional
twin-engined aircraft and a two-engined aircraft of the
type now exemplified by the Ryan Fireball with piston
engine in the nose and turbine jet in the tail. It may
now seem a little disappointing
that the most conventional
single-engined layout was finally
selected, but in August, 1943,
things appeared in a very
different light.
Choice of Engine
The type of engine to be
installed in the Spearfish was
for some while unsettled, but an
experimental Rolls-Royce unit,
the Exe, at that time appeared
most suitable; the Sabre or
the Centaurus, now fitted, were
alternatives. In that a primary
requirement of the aircraft was
the provision for dive bombing
at angles up to the vertical
without exceeding the maximum
level speed, the question of air-
screw braking arose and the
selection of the power unit and
the availability of suitable air-
screw or contra-rotating air-
screws became of great im-
portance.
After its primary duties of
dive bombing and torpedo attack, the Spearfish is
required for day and night reconnaissance, shadowing
and anti-submarine patrol. It is also, of course,
intended for carrier-based operation, and, therefore,
embodies folding wings, arrester hook and provision for
assisted take-off. A pilot needs every aid when opera-
HEIGHT I7ft. 3in.
AREA 647 sq.ft.